The Beyond 123 Story

Art Meets Play

We all know the phrase “look with your eyes, not with your hands.” From a New York company called Beyond 123 comes a collection of pieces made for both decoration and play. Created by three different designers, Playable Art, Shanghai Pickup Sticks, and Playable Metal all have one thing in common—they’re irresistibly touchable. In fact, our testers found them hard to put down.

Created by German designer Bernd Liebert, Playable Art is a series of boldly colored interlocking beechwood balls that can be manipulated in countless artistic shapes and patterns. As useful for keeping fidgety hands busy as it is pleasing to the eye.

A classic game from the past gets a bold new look thanks to Italian artist Fabio Guaricci, the creator of Shanghai Pick Up Sticks. Uncap the cylinder, let the sticks fall gracefully into an arc, and watch as this toy-turned-art piece draws the attention of kids and grownups alike.

A cross between a desk object and a toy, Playable Metal is built to last by Mike Hu, the owner of a Taiwan factory that specializes in metal tools. After watching his son’s beloved lego structures tumble over and break into pieces, Mike was inspired to put his factory equipment to use making a strong, sturdy construction figure that can be taken apart and put back together again in multiple ways. The Playable Metal man can be transformed into a dino, a car, a robot, an animal, or, a beautiful abstract creation of your own design.

Go ahead, reach out and touch these works of art. They're every bit as fun to play with and visually appealing as they look.Read MoreRead Less